Liberia Ready for Full Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty

The Chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms, Hon. James M. Fromoyan, has informed African Union officials who attended the just ended 2nd Conference of States Party (CSP2) of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in Geneva that Liberia is ready for full implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty.

The Chairman was speaking over the weekend when he responded to an invitation from the Defense and Security Division of the African Union to “serve as a panelist in the side event and share the experience of Liberia in the implementation of the ATT and what it means for the country.”Chairman Fromoyan informed the group that Liberia’s drive towards implementation of the ATT started with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between LiNCSA and Safer World, UK, which paved the way for the start of an assessment mission that culminated in the presentation of an Assessment Report to the Government of Liberia on July 15 thru the office of the Vice President of Liberia. “It is also worth noting that Liberia for the first time now has a Firearms and Ammunition Control Act which was enacted into law by parliament, and signed by the President,” he added.He also highlighted the strategic relationships that the Commission has enjoyed with other government institutions in moving the ATT process forward. He noted the efforts of Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Hon. Marjon Kamara, in the process of signing and ratifying the treaty. He also described the high level of cooperation between the Commission and Legislative branch of government adding: “The presence of Senator Stephen Zargo (Senate Committee Chair on Defense & Security) on the Liberian delegation to this 2nd CSP convinces us that the legislation that we envisage for Liberia to be fully ATT compliant will be effected.”The Small Arms Commission boss stated that there are some challenges that Liberia has to overcome in order to finalize the domestication of the Treaty. “Accordingly, LiNCSA will need international cooperation and assistance in finalizing the domestication of the Treaty. For us at the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms, we would wish to keep alive the momentum generated among all the national actors towards the domestication of the Treaty. A critical part of that momentum is the idea of Liberia having one legal instrument that will brand the Commission as Liberia National Commission on Arms which will embrace both SALW and Conventional Arms,” he concluded.The AU sponsored event was attended by the President of the ATT, Ambassador Emmanuel E. Imohe, who is also Chairperson of Nigeria Presidential Committee on Small Arms. Others in attendance included the Sierra Leone Ambassador to Switzerland and an array of African diplomats and NATCOM leaders. Special focus was placed on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf when Chairman Fromoyan mentioned her past role in the United Nations system. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a multilateral, legally-binding agreement that establishes common standards for the international trade of conventional weapons and seeks to reduce the illicit arms trade. The treaty aims to reduce human suffering caused by illegal and irresponsible arms transfers, improve regional security and stability, as well as to promote accountability and transparency by state parties concerning transfers of conventional arms.